Mount St. Helens: 30th anniversary of deadly eruption is next week

Click on photo to see a larger image of this view of Mount St. Helens on March 30, 1980. It was already showing signs of activity leading up to its May 18 eruption. Ash can be seen on its slopes (Mount Rainier is in the background). Photo: DNR

Next Tuesday is the 30th anniversary of the Mount St. Helen’s eruption that killed 57 people. The eruption’s blast wave and hot ash also killed thousands of wildlife and produced debris flows of mud and ash that destroyed homes, roads, and bridges. Hundreds of thousands of trees were blown down on DNR-managed land just a few miles away.

QUESTION: What was the elevation of Mount St. Helens before the eruption and what was it after the eruption?

ANSWER: Find out tomorrow on Ear to the Ground …or… see the answer now on DNR’s Facebook page (while you’re there, please “fan us” — we’ve got plenty more information about Mount St. Helens coming in the next few days.)

See more photos of Mount St. Helens before and after the May 18, 1980, eruption on DNR’s Flickr page.